Cheat Warner blasts 85 in IPL comeback
Chiefs power into play-offs early
DISGRACED Australia batsman David Warner smashed 85 from 53 balls in his first IPL match since returning from a 12-month ban. Warner was barred from last year’s IPL as part of his ban for his role in the Cape Town balltampering scandal, along with captain Steve Smith. But the 32-year-old’s knock, alongside 39 from England’s Jonny Bairstow, was in vain as the Kolkata Knight Riders chased down the target of 182 to win by six wickets at Eden Gardens. Elsewhere, Surrey bowled out MCC for 265 on the first day of the Champion County match in Dubai. Freddie van den Bergh and Conor McKerr each took three wickets for county champions Surrey, who closed on 20 without loss in reply.
EXETER can relax after sealing a Premiership play- off place yesterday, five matches before the end of the season. Joe Simmonds, a late stand-in for injured Gareth Steenson, led them to a bonus-point win over Bath that puts them nine points clear of Saracens, who must prepare for a European Champions Cup quarter-final battle against Glasgow on Saturday.
Exeter’s international stars will have a week off, with some set to jet out to destinations like Dubai.
Exeter chief Rob Baxter says the break will be of benefit as they bid to regain the Premiership trophy.
‘Having two fewer games than Saracens can potentially help you, energy-wise. The internationals will have this week off until Monday, so we have some nice breaks built in to refocus and re-energise.
‘ We don’t want to splutter through the last five games, I’d like to see us looking like a team that is building a destiny towards being in home semi-finals, finals, lifting trophies.’
The Chiefs, who scored 26 unanswered points, have not lost at home in 408 days, since Worcester won 6-5 in February 2018. They knew four points would guarantee a play- off place for the fourth straight year. Bar anything seismic it looks like they will face Saracens in a Twickenham final for the third time in four seasons.
A minor hiccup, when Steenson had to pull out with a sore calf picked up in the warm-up, did not faze them. Simmonds came in and won man of the match.
The 22-year-old hit a penalty and the conversion to both first-half tries. He set up the first try too, jinking away before Ollie Devoto crashed over.
The second came after lovely work from Henry Slade and Olly Woodburn — all hustle, bustle and gliding feet — before Don Armand threw a super inside pass to hooker Jack Yeandle, who powered past Anthony Perenise and Tom Dunn.
Exeter conceded a penalty from Rhys Priestland early on, had a score disallowed when Woodburn smashed over Ruairdh McConnochie but crawled illegally to the line, then conceded a try when Nathan Catt bundled over. But their terrific defence held Bath out from there, with Exeter leading 17-10 at the break.
Fifteen minutes into the second half Bath remembered Joe Cokanasiga was playing. He battered through a few defenders, but, holding the ball in one hand, which annoys Eddie Jones, knocked on.
Jones made his first visit to Sandy Park of the season, only his second live viewing of the tabletoppers, but moved from the West Grandstand at half-time.
Sam Underhill came on for his first game since December 30 having missed the Six Nations with ankle ligament damage. Beno Obano appeared too, on his third game back after seriously injuring his knee in England training last season. He was sin-binned when the Bath scrum collapsed and Exeter were awarded a penalty try.
With five minutes left Exeter had their bonus point after Santiago Cordero fed Woodburn. Simmonds missed the wide conversion, but it did not matter.
Bath are seventh and Todd Blackadder said: ‘This season has been strange. We want to fight for everything and be in the top six — stranger things have happened.’